Slider for slide fasteners



Nov. 1, 1949 I. GERSTMAN SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Oct. 4, 1946' INVENTOR.

1 uiiiiiiiiilleo 64Y Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES P SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Irving Gerstman, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Gerstman Supply Company, Bufialo, N. Y., a partnership Application October 4, 1946, Serial No. 701,331

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to slide operated fasteners of the type in which opposed series of interlatchin-g fastener members are mounted respectively upon the edges of flexible stringers and are moved into and out of engaging relationship by means of a slider. and more particularly to a slider which is separable to release the fastener members.

With reversible garments, that is, those garments which permit of their being worn inside out, it is awkward, if not impossible, for the wearer after reversing the garment to reach down inside of the garment to operate the slider. It is accordingly one of the objects of the invention to provide a novel type of reversible slider which can be completely removed from the two series of fastener members and replaced in reversed position when the garment is reversed so that the slider is always conveniently operable from the outside.

Another object of the present invention is toprovide such a reversible slider with complementary, substantially parallel, spaced wings arranged on opposite sides of the flexible stringers, which wings can be separated farther apart to permit of operatively disconnecting the slider from the fastener members and stringers, the wings remaining substantially parallel while being separated.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a reversible slider having overlying complementary wings with lock fastening means permitting separation but not total disconnection of these wings.

Another aim of the presentinvention is to pro vide the spaced wings of such a reversible slider with a pin and recess locking means which prevent relative planar displacement of the wings when the same are in operative position and which pin means also form part of a finger piece.

Another object is to provide such a slider in which this pin and recess connection is readily released by the simple expedient of swinging a finger piece from one position to another, thereby to greatly facilitate the separation of the slider.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a slider in which there is no danger of this pin and recess means becoming accidentally disengaged.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide such a separable slider which is simple in construction, compact, low in cost, and which will stand up Lmder conditions of severe and constant use.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a slider embodying the present invention and showing the slider in its operative position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1 and showing the slider in its separated or inoperative position.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the slider shown in Fig. l and showing the parts in their operative position.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and showing the parts in their separated or inoperative position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 66, Fig. 5.

The separable slider forming the subject of the present invention is adapted to be moved longitudinally on a pair of flexible stringers, which are provided on their opposing marginal portions with a plurality of fastener members of the usual type and which are adapted to be coupled together by the upward movement of the slider, as viewed in the drawings, to effect a fastening together of the two stringers. These stringers and fastener members are well known and form no part of the present invention and hence are not illustrated.

The slider comprises complementary front and rear wings or body sections it and H, respectively, the front wing or body section l0 including a front wall l2 formed to provide a narrow lower portion which flares outwardly at the upper part of the wall and the top edge of this wall preferably tapers slightly downwardly and outwardly on each side of a vertical median line, as indicated at iii in Fig. 1. Each side edge of the front wall i2 is provided with a rearwardly projecting flange Hi preferably formed integrally with this wall. Adjacent its upper edge and centrally thereof, the front wall l2 is formed to provide a rearwardly projecting neck l5 which is substantially C-shaped in cross section, as best shown in Fig. 6, and is provided with a horizontal T slot l6 which extends horizontally inwardly from the rear extremity thereof.

The rear wing ll of the slider is of similar form s 1y projecting neck 2| is formed on the forward face of the rear wall I8 adjacent the upper central part thereof. The upper part 22 of this neck 2| is preferably T-shaped in cross section to slidingly fit the T-shaped slot I6 of the neck l of the front wing. The lower part 23 of this neck 2| is preferably of V or triangular shape in cross section, the sides of this lower part generally conforming to the flare of the side flanges It and IQ of the two wings l0 and H.

The slider is operated by means of a tab 24 which is shown as pivotally connected at its upper end to a lug 25 projecting fonwardly from the front wall |2 of the front wing Ill of the slider.

To prevent casual separation of the wings Ii), I I of this slider when they are in their operative position, and yet permit these wings to be separated intentionally to an inoperative position when it is desired to reverse this slider, latch fastening means are provided which are preferably constructed as follows:

The numeral 28 represents a generally 0- shaped finger piece which is formed to provide a pair of opposing pins 29, these pins being preferably rounded at their ends. These pins flt into holes 30 in the sides of the rearwardly projecting neck |5 on the front wing it), these holes and pins 23 forming pivot mountings for the finger piece 28. The pins 29 of the finger piece 23 are formed at their ends to provide parallel side arms 3| which are arranged parallel and in closely spaced relation to the sides of the rearwardly projecting neck I5 of the front wing l0. Each of these arms is provided with an inwardly projecting salient cam portion 32, these salient cam portions opposing each other. The arms 3| of the finger piece 28 are connected by a cross piece 33 and the finger piece is so shaped that it can be swung from the horizontal position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, in which its cross piece: 33 is arranged in front of the front wing l0 to the vertical position shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6.

In so swinging from its horizontal to its ver tical position, the salient cam portions 32 of the arms 3| of the finger piece 23 are brought into engagement with salient cam portions 34 provided on opposite sides of the rearwardly projecting neck l5 of the front wing I0. Hence, when the finger piece 28 is swung from the horizontal position to the vertical position shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, the interengagement of the salient cam portions 32 and 34 serves to spread the pins 29 apart and when the finger piece 28 is swung back toward its horizontal position, these pins 29 spring together, the finger piece 28 being made of sufficiently springy material for this purpose.

The ends of these pins 29 cooperate with horizontal grooves 35 provided in the opposite sides of the T-shaped upper part 22 of the neck 2|, these grooves being rounded to conform to the rounded inner ends of these pins 29. These grooves are of such length as to permit relative movement of the T-shaped upper part 22 of the neck 2| in the T-shaped slot I6 to the extent shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This limited movement, permitted by the length of the rounding grooves 35 thereby determines the extent to which the front and rear wings I!) and I can be separated.

At the rear ends of each of the grooves 35 a semi-spherical recess 35 of substantially greater depth than the groove 35 is provided, thes semispherical recesses being adapted to receive and latch the ends of the pins 29 when the front and rear wings of the slider are pinched together into operative position. For such latching the finger piece must be in such position that the salient cam portions 32 and 34 do not interengage.

In the closed or operative position of the wings it, I! as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the forward face of the lower triangular or V-shaped portion 23 of the forwardly projecting neck 2| of the rear Wing abuts against the rear face of the front wall |2 of the front wing it and provides, with the side flanges l4 and l9 of these two wings, a Y-shaped channel 38, the central part of which is open at its bottom and the branches of which diverge upwardly and outwardly and are open at the top. In this closed position of the slider the flanges l4 and I9 of the two wings are separated from each other to provide a space for receiving the usual cloth part of the two stringers. In this operative position of the slider the T-shaped upper part 22 of the forwardly projecting neck 2| of the rear wing is substantially fully engaged with the T-shaped slot l6 of the rearwardly projecting neck l5 of the front wing l0 and hence the two wings I0 and H are maintained parallel with each other. In this operative position of the parts the finger piece 28 is in the horizontal position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 in which its salient cam portions 32 are out of engagement with the salient cam portions 34 and the inner ends of the pins 29 fit into the semi-spherical recesses 38 at the ends of the slots 35 provided in the sides of the forwardly projecting neck 2| of the rear wing I In this manner the two wings I0, I l are latched against planar separation and the slider can be freely moved up and down the two stringers to interlatch and unlatch the fastener members thereof, the pivot tab 24 being provided to facilitate this movement.

When it is desired to remove or reverse the slider, the user swings the finger piece 28 upwardly to the vertical position shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. This upward movement of this finger piece causes its salient cam portions 32 to interengage with the salient cam portions 34 on the rearwardly projecting neck l5 of the front wing ID, the interengagement of these salient cam portions operating to spread the ends of the pins 29 of the finger piece 28 to the extent necessary to withdraw them from the semi-spherical recesses 36. This unlatching of the ends of the pins 29 so caused by the interaction of the salient cam portions 32 and 34 is not sufficient, however, to withdraw the ends of these pins from the rounding grooves 35. Hence the front and rear wings l3, II can be manually separated to the extent permitted by the disposition of the front ends of the grooves 35, this position of the parts being illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. When separated to this fully inoperative position, the ends of the pins 29 engage the front ends of the grooves 35 to prevent further separation of the two wings of the slider, and hence complete separation thereof is prevented at all times. Further, by reason of the springiness of the finger piece 28, a frictional engagement is maintained between the ends of the pins 29 and the grooves 35 so that the two wings I0, H are frictionally held in their separated position thereby to facilitate handling of this slider, particularly when it is removed from the stringer and is to be reapplied in a reversed position.

After this slider has been reversed in proper position with reference to the stringers, the user swings the finger piece 28 downwardly to the horizontal position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The user then presses the two wings or body sections IO, U of the slider together. This causes a the ends of the pins 29 to ride along th'egrooves 35 until these pins reach the semi-spherical recesses 36 at the rear ends thereof. When this occurs, the pins 29 snap into these recesses and thus latch the two wings of the slider together.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides an extremely simple, reversible slider in which planar separation of the two wings is obtained and in which simple and easily operated means are provided both for latching the slider in its operative position and also permitting only that degree of planar separation necessary to permit of disengagement of the slider from the stringers and the re-application of the slider thereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a male member projecting from one of said wings, a female member projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said male member and provided with a opening adapted to slidingly receive said male member, and means for detachably connecting said members whereby said wings are maintained'in an operative spaced relation, including a pin carried by one of said members and fitting into a recess provided in the other of said members and arranged for movement in a direction transverse to the direction of relative movement of said members whereby said pin is withdrawable from said recess.

2. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a male member projecting from one of said wings, a female member projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said male member and provided with an opening adapted to slidingly receive said male member, and means for detachably connecting said members whereby said wings are maintained in an operative spaced relation, including pins carried by said female member on opposite sides thereof and movable with respect thereto in a direction transverse of the direction of relative movement of said members, each of said pins being adapted to fit into a recess provided in said male member, manually movable means connected to said pins and means arranged to withdraw said pins from said recesses and actuated in response to the movement of said manually movable means.

3. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a male member projecting from one of said wings, a female member projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said male member and provided with an opening adapted to slidingly receive said male member, and means for detachably connecting said members whereby said wings are maintained in an operative spaced relation, including a pin mounted on one side of said female member for rotation and also for movement with respect thereto in a direction transverse of the direction of relative movement of said members, said pin being adapted to fit into a recess provided in said male member, an arm connected to said pin and movable to rotate said pin, means urging said pin into engagement with said recess, and a salient cam portion on said arm opposing a salient cam portion on said 6. female'member and adapted to engage the same upon rotation of said arm whereby said arm is moved against the urging of said last mentioned means to withdraw said pin from said recess.

4. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a male member projecting from one of said wings, a female member projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said male member and provided with an opening adapted to slidingly receive said male member, and means for detachably connecting said members whereby said wings are maintained in an operative spaced relation, including a pin rotatably and axially movably arranged'in an opening provided in one side of said female member, a second pin rotatably and axially movably arranged in an opening provided in the side of said female member opposite said one side thereof, said pins opposing each other and extending in a direction transverse of the direction of relative movement of said members, the inner end of each of said pins be-. ing adapted to fit into a recess provided in said male member, an actuating arm connected to the outer end of each of said pins and extending substantially perpendicularly thereto, a cross part connecting said arms together, and means operative to said arms upon actuation thereof whereby saidpins are withdrawn from said recesses.

5. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a male member projecting from one of said wings, a female member projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said male member and provided with an opening adapted to slidingly receive said male member, and means for detachably connecting said members whereby said wings are maintained in an operative spaced relation including a pin rotatably and axially movably ar- 1 ranged in an opening provided in one side of said female member, a second pin rotatably and axially movably arranged in an opening provided in the side of said female member opposite said one side thereof, said pins opposing each other and extending in a direction transverse of the direction of relative movement of said members, the inner end of each of said pins being adapted to fit into a recess provided in said male member, an actuating arm connected to the outer end of each of said pins and extending substantially perpendicularly thereto, a cross part connecting said arms together, and means operative to spread said arms upon actuation thereof whereby said pins are withdrawn from said recesses, including a salient cam portion on each of said arms adjacent the corresponding one of said pins and opposing a salient cam portion on said female member and movable into engagement with the same by actuation of said arms whereby said arms are spread thereby to withdraw said pins from said recesses.

6. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a male member projecting from one of said wings, a female member projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said male member and provided with an opening adapted to slidingly receive said male member, means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, means limiting the movement of said wings away from each other to provide an inoperative relation of said wings, and means for detachably connecting said members whereby said wings are maintained in said operative spaced relation, including a pin carried by one of said members and fitting into a recess provided in the other of said members and arranged for movement in a direction transverse to the direction of relative movement of said members whereby said pin is withdrawable from said recess.

7. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a male member projecting from one of said wings, a female member projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said male member and provided with an opening adapted to slidingly receive said male member, means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, and means for detachably connecting said members whereby said wings are maintained in said operative spaced relation, including a pin rotatably carried by said female member on one side thereof and also movable with respect thereto in a direction transverse of the direction of relative movement of said members, said pin being adapted to fit into a recess provided in said male member, an arm connected to said pin and movable to rotate said pin, means urging said pin to engage said recess, and a salient cam portion on said arm opposing a salient cam portion on said female member and adapted to engage the same upon rotation of said arm whereby said arm is moved against the urging of said last mentioned means to withdraw said pin from said recess, said female member being provided with a groove arranged parallel to said direction and leading to said recess and adapted to slidingly receive the end of said pin and to limit the movement of said wings away from each other.

8. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a male member projecting from one of said wings, a female member projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said male member and provided with an opening adapted to slidingly receive said male member, means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, and means for detachably connecting said members whereby said wings are maintained in said operative spaced relation including a pin rotatably and axially movably arranged in an opening provided in one side of said female member, a second pin rotatably and axially movably arranged in an opening provided in the side of said female member opposite said one side thereof, said pins opposing each other and extending in a direction transverse of the direction of relative movement of said members, the inner end of each of said pins being adapted to fit into a recess provided in said male member, an arm connected .to the outer end, of each of said pins and extending substantially perpendicularly thereto, a cross part connecting said arms together, and means operative to spread said arms upon actuation of said arms and cross part whereby said pins are withdrawn from said recesses, each of said sides of said male member being provided with a groove arranged parallel to said direction of relative movement and leading to the corresponding one of said recesses and having an end Wall at its opposite end and adapted to slidingly receive the inner end of the corresponding one of said pins, each of said pins being adapted to abuttingly engage the said end wall of the corresponding one of said grooves thereby to limit the movement of said wings away from each other.

'9. A-slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a neck projecting from one of said wings, a second neck projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said first neck and provided with an opening adapted to slidingly receive said first neck, and means for detachably connecting said first and second necks whereby said wings are maintained in an operative spaced relation, including a finger piece having arms arranged on opposite sides of said second neck, a pin on each of said arms and arranged in an opening provided in said second neck, said pins opposing each other and being adapted to be moved away from each other, the inner end of each of said pins being adapted to fit into a recess provided in said first neck, and means for spreading said arms upon rotation of said finger piece whereby said pins are withdrawn from said recesses, said first neck being provided with grooves each of which is arranged parallel to the direction of relative movement of said first and second necks and leading to one of said recesses and having an end wall at its opposite end and adapted to slidingly receive the inner end of the corresponding one of said pins, each of said pins being adapted to abuttingly engage the said end wall of the corresponding one of said grooves thereby to limit the movement of said wings away from each other.

10. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a neck projecting from one of said wings, a second neck projecting from the other of said wings in opposition to said first neck and provided with an opening adapted to slidingly receive said first neck, and means for detachably connecting said first and second necks whereby said wings are maintained in an operative spaced relation, including a finger piece having arms arranged on opposite sides of said second neck, a pin on each of said arms and arranged in an opening provided in said second neck, said pins opposing each other and being adapted to be moved away from each other, the inner end of each of said pins being adapted to fit into a recess provided in said first neck, when said arms are in a position in which they extend substantially parallel to the direction of relative movement of said first and second necks, and a salient cam portion on each of said arms adjacent said pin and opposing a salient cam portion on said second neck and adapted to engage the same when said arms are moved to a position in which they extend sub stantially transversely to said direction whereby to withdraw said pins from said recesses, said first neck being provided with grooves each of which is arranged parallel to said direction and leading to one of said recesses and having an end wall remote from said recess and adapted to slidingly receive the inner end of the corresponding one of said pins, each of said pins being adapted to abuttingly engage the said end wall of the corresponding one of said grooves thereby to limit the separation of said wings to an inoperative position.

11. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying spaced wings, means connecting said wings and providing substantially parallel planar separation of said wings, including a male member projecting from one of said wings toward the other and being of out of round form in crosssection, a female member projecting from said other of said wings toward said one of said wings and provided with an opening similar in crosssection to the cross-sectional form of said male member, said opening being adapted to slidingly 15 Number receive said male member, means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to pro- Vide the operative spaced relation of said wings,

and quickly operable latch means arranged to detachably connect said members when said wings are in said operative relation and including an actuator, said actuator by a simple manipulation thereof operating said latch means so as to free said members for limited planar separation of said wings to an inoperative relation.

IRVING GERSTMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,942,912 Bebel Jan. 9, 1934 2,020,159 Pruzan Nov. 5, 1935 2,082,988 Taskila June 8, 1937 

